Hub for rolled wrap

ABSTRACT

A hub includes a ring-shaped base having a sleeve portion axially extended from a rear side thereof, and a collar rotatably mounted on the sleeve portion. An L-shaped curved holding-down plate is provided at a lower inner side of the base, and slits are formed at joints of the holding-down plate and the base and the sleeve portion to provide the holding-down plate with a certain degree of elasticity. The hub is fitted in an open end of a rolled wrap with the rotatable collar tightly contacting with a radially inner side of the rolled wrap. Normally, the rolled wrap can be freely rotated and outward pulled for packaging an article, and when the holding-down plate is depressed to push the sleeve portion against the collar, the rolled wrap is held in place and a user may tensely stretch the outward pulled wrap to smoothly and firmly wrap the article.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hub for rolled wrap, and more particularly to a hub fitted in an open end of a rolled wrap to allow a user to more conveniently and quickly pull out and tensely stretch the rolled wrap for firmly wrapping an article.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When a rolled wrap is used to packaging an article, particularly a large-size article, a user usually has to pull out a length of the rolled wrap to wrap the article and then cut the wrap. To facilitate easy pull of the rolled wrap, the rolled wrap is usually mounted on a tubular member to rotate freely and be pulled outward. However, the outward pulled wrap must be tensely stretched to smoothly and firmly package the article. Since the conventional tubular member for rotatably holding the rolled wrap thereon does not include any means for holding the rolled wrap in place, it is uneasy for a user to tensely stretch the outward pulled portion of the rolled wrap to tightly wrap the article. The outward pulled wrap tends to become loose, wrinkled, and biased, and fails to give the packaged article a nice appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a hub for rolled wrap, so that the rolled wrap may be more conveniently operated to perfectly package an article.

To achieve the above and other objects, the hub for rolled wrap according to the present invention includes a ring-shaped base having a sleeve portion axially extended from a rear end thereof, and a collar rotatably mounted on the sleeve portion of the base. An L-shaped curved holding-down plate is provided at a lower inner side of the base, and slits are formed at joints of the holding-down plate and the base and the sleeve portion to provide the holding-down plate with a certain degree of elasticity.

The hub is fitted in an open end of a rolled wrap with the collar rotatably mounted on the sleeve portion tightly contacting with a radially inner side of the rolled wrap. When the holding-down plate is not depressed, the rolled wrap can be freely rotated about the sleeve portion and outward pulled for wrapping an article, and when the holding-down plate is depressed to tightly press the sleeve portion against the collar, the rolled wrap is also held in place and a user may tensely stretch the outward pulled wrap to smoothly and firmly wrap the article.

The sleeve portion of the base is provided at two opposite sides near a rear end thereof with two axially extended U-shaped grooves, so as to form two elastic tabs. Free ends of the elastic tabs are formed into two triangular hooks that prevent the collar from sliding out of the sleeve portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of a hub for rolled wrap according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hub for rolled wrap shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectioned side view of the hub for rolled wrap shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectioned side view showing the use of the present invention to hold a rolled wrap in place; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the use of the present invention to hold a rolled wrap in place.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 that are assembled and exploded perspective views, respectively, of a hub for rolled wrap 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and to FIG. 3 that is a sectioned side view of the present invention. For the purpose of concision, the hub for rolled wrap 100 shall also be briefly referred to as the hub 100 throughout the specification. As shown, the hub 100 mainly includes a generally ring-shaped base 1 having a sleeve portion 11 axially extended from a rear side of the base 1 by a predetermined length, and a collar 2 having an inner diameter slightly larger than an outer diameter of the sleeve portion 11 of the base 1 for rotatably mounting around the sleeve portion 11.

The sleeve portion 11 of the base 1 is provided at two diametrically opposite sides near a rear end thereof with two axially extended U-shaped grooves 12 to form two elastic tabs 13. Free ends of the elastic tabs 13 are formed into two triangular ribs to function like hooks 14.

A generally L-shaped and curved holding-down plate 15 is provided at a lower inner side of the base 1. A lower slit 16 is provided at a joint of the holding-down plate 15 and the base 1, and two lateral slits 17 are provided at joints of the holding-down plate 15 and the sleeve portion 11 to provide the L-shaped holding-down plate 15 with a certain degree of elasticity.

The collar 2 is provided at a front end with a radially extended flange portion 21, and on a circumferential surface with a plurality of axially spaced ribs 22.

To assemble the hub 100, simply put the collar 2 around the sleeve portion 11 of the base 1. The triangular hooks 14 at free ends of the elastic tabs 13 near the rear end of the sleeve portion 11 prevent the collar 2 from sliding out of the sleeve portion 11. Since the collar 2 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the sleeve portion 11, the collar 2 is normally rotatable on the sleeve portion 11. The assembled hub 100 may be then fitted in an open end of a rolled wrap with the collar 2 in tight contact with a radially inner side of the rolled wrap.

Please refer to FIGS. 4 and 5. To operate a rolled wrap 3 with the help of the present invention, a user first fits two hubs 100 in two open ends of the rolled wrap 3 with the collars 2 in tight contact with the radially inner side of the rolled wrap 3, and then holds the bases 1 of the two hubs 100. Since the collars 2 are rotatably mounted on the sleeve portions 11 of the bases 1, the rolled wrap 3 tightly contacting with the collars 2 may be freely rotated and outward pulled to package an article. When the packaging is completed or temporarily stopped, the user may depress the holding-down plates 15 to tightly push the sleeve portions 11 of the bases 1 against the collars 2 and thereby stops the collars 2 and accordingly, the rolled wrap 3 firmly fitted thereon from rotating. With the rolled wrap 3 in an immovable state, the outward pulled wrap can be tensely stretched to smoothly and firmly wrap up the article.

With the above arrangements, the hub for rolled wrap according to the present invention enables a user to tensely stretch the outward pulled wrap to smoothly and firmly package an article with the rolled wrap, making the rolled wrap more conveniently for use. 

1. A hub for rolled wrap, comprising: a generally ring-shaped base having a sleeve portion axially extended from a rear side of said base, said sleeve portion being formed at two diametrically opposite sides near a rear end thereof with two hooks; and said base being provided at a lower inner side with a generally L-shaped and curved holding-down plate, a lower slit being provided at a joint of said holding-down plate and said base, and two lateral slits being provided at joints of said holding-down plate and said sleeve portion to provide said holding-down plate with a certain degree of elasticity; and a collar having an inner diameter slightly larger than an outer diameter of said sleeve portion of said base for rotatably mounting around said sleeve portion; said collar being provided at a front end with a radially extended flange portion, and on a circumferential surface with a plurality of axially spaced ribs; said hub being adapted to fit in an open end of a rolled wrap with said collar rotatably mounted on said sleeve portion in tight contact with a radially inner side of said rolled wrap; whereby when said holding-down plate is in a normal position without being subjected to any downward pressure, said rolled wrap is allowed to freely rotate relative to said sleeve portion of said hub and be pulled outward for packaging an article, and when said holding-down plate is depressed to tightly push said sleeve portion against said collar, said rolled wrap is held in place for a user to tensely stretch the outward pulled wrap to smoothly and firmly package said article.
 2. The hub for rolled wrap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve portion of said base is provided at two diametrically opposite sides near a rear end thereof with two axially extended U-shaped grooves to form two elastic tabs, and wherein said hooks provided on said sleeve portion are triangular ribs formed at free ends of said two elastic tabs. 